Geriatrics Commons^™

Addressing Psychosocial Outcomes Of Social Isolation In Older Adults, Megan Friesen, Madeline M. Christensen

Nursing DNP Projects

Purpose and Rationale

The aim of the evidence-based practice (EBP) project is to improve psychological outcomes for socially isolated older adults enrolled in a Homebound Program (HP) through the implementation of an EBP intervention. Social isolation has a multitude of negative consequences, including impacting the psychological health (e.g. depression, loneliness, anxiety) of the older adult population.

Synthesis of Evidence

Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized controlled trials addressing the clinical problem of social isolation were identified. Through critical appraisal of the evidence, physical activity, psychotherapy, and socialization interventions have shown to decrease depression and loneliness in older adults. There were mixed …

Spreading Encouragement To Seniors In A Pandemic, Bonnie L. Rogulj, Lashia Hicks

Physical Therapy Collection

This brief note describes a "virtual calendar" project created by students of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. The calendar of images and poetry was shared with older adult community members to reduce loneliness and increase mental health and wellness in this population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neither “Post-War” Nor Post-Pregnancy Paranoia: How America’S War On Drugs Continues To Perpetuate Disparate Incarceration Outcomes For Pregnant, Substance-Involved Offenders, Becca S. Zimmerman

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the unique interactions between pregnancy, substance involvement, and race as they relate to the War on Drugs and the hyper-incarceration of women. Using ordinary least square regression analyses and data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates, I examine if (and how) pregnancy status, drug use, race, and their interactions influence two length of incarceration outcomes: sentence length and amount of time spent in jail between arrest and imprisonment. The results collectively indicate that pregnancy decreases length of incarceration outcomes for those offenders who are not substance-involved but not evenhandedly -- benefitting white …

The Impact Of Social Isolation And Cognitive Decline In Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review, Jody L. Doll-Wilhelm

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and dementia patients surged. Increased social isolation and decreased activity levels in older adults have been suggested as contributing factors to accelerating AD and dementia. However, assessment tools to gauge interventions and outcomes of cognitive decline are variable among the literature.

Objective: Examine the impact of social engagement versus social isolation, like that experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, on cognitive decline/dementia in older adults (greater than 60 years of age).

Method: A systematic search for studies evaluating the relationship between social isolation and social activity in cognitive …

How Does Direct Volunteering Affect The Onset Of Alzheimer’S Dementia In Elderly Patients With Preexisting Cardiac Comorbidities?, Sneha R. Gade

UROP Posters

Alzheimer's Dementia is a disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. The Alzheimer's Association reported Alzheimer's as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and a cure does not exist. Donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor drug, is frequently prescribed to treat Alzheimer's disease. Still, patients must continuously take the medication for years to receive any measurable improvement in quality of life after developing Alzheimer's Dementia. Further, research shows prolonged use of Donepezil can lead to other health problems, such as QTc prolongation, for cardiac disease patients. Therefore, the effectiveness of non-drug interventions, such as volunteering to prevent the disease's …

The Use Of Life-Like Robotic Animals In The Acute Care Setting To Assist In The Care Of Patients With Dementia, Abby Denby

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

The purpose of this pilot project was to describe the effect of life-like robotic animals on the nurses’ ability to provide care, patients’ level of agitation, use of antipsychotic medications, restraint and sitter use for patients with dementia in an acute care setting. Nurses report challenges and feelings of helplessness while caring for patients with dementia. Dementia may cause depression, agitation, aggression (physical or verbal) and a decrease quality of life. Animal Assisted Therapy (ATT) is a growing therapy in many healthcare settings but there is a lack of literature specifically related to the use of AAT in the acute …

Integrating Affect Perception Tasks From The New York Emotion Battery Into A Comprehensive Measure Of Neuropsychological Change Across The Lifespan, Melinda A. Cornwell

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: The ability to perceive others’ emotions is a vital skill for social competency, impacting the success of personal and professional relationships (Brinton & Fujiki, 2011; Cassidy et al., 1992; Côté & Miners, 2006). According to Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST; Carstensen, 1991), human motivation develops to become more discerning in choosing milieus that yield the most gratifying return on the investment of personal resources (e.g., time, attention, and effort), perhaps explaining why some research findings indicate that older adults may demonstrate an affect perception (AP) bias described as a positivity effect (Reed et al., 2014). Moreover, AP predicts cognitive and …

Geriatrics In Clinical Practice And Beyond: Brain Health, The Sixth Vital Sign?, Nannette Hoffman

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Brain health in middle age and geriatric patients will take on greater importance for health care practitioners in our aging society. This article discusses various approaches clinicians can use for their patients to promote and improve brain health. These are generally the same lifestyle adoptions for cerebrovascular disease and cardiovascular disease prevention: weight management, exercise, and blood pressure and cholesterol lowering. Social stimulation and cognitive activities may also be important for the elderly.

Home Health Care Resource Binder: A User-Friendly Guide For Crossroads Hospice And Palliative Care, Deanna Eder

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Patients and families searching for home health care need accurate information regarding the community resources available to them to promote aging in place and to maintain their quality of life. In connection to the social workers at Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care, the researcher identified a need for a centralized source of up-to-date information regarding local home health care agencies due to the current resource deficit. Social workers and other health care professionals are expected to benefit from a concise list of resources readily available to provide their patients and families with adequate support to make informed decisions about a …

Association Of Common Chronic Pain Conditions To Incident Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias In Two Cohorts Of Older Medicare Beneficiaries, Sumaira Khalid

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objective: The purpose of this research was to study the collective and incremental association of common non-cancer chronic pain conditions (NCPC) to risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD); to explore the potential mediating influence of mood and sleep disorders; and to assess the potential synergistic effects of NCPC’s and multimorbidity on ADRD risk. This research also aimed to study the contribution of NCPC to ADRD risk in poor, rural, underserved United States populations who suffer a disproportionate burden of ADRD risk factors. To achieve these goals, this dissertation pursued three specific aims: 1) assess the association of …

I Live Alone But Don't Feel Alone: Social Isolation And Loneliness From The Patient Perspective, Julia Bedard-Thomas, Christian Gausvik, Jonathan Wessels, Saundra Regan, Keesha Goodnow, Anna Goroncy

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

A growing homebound population may be at risk for social isolation and loneliness. Health-related social needs play a contributing role in these conditions. Research shows social isolation and loneliness are drivers of health outcomes. This pilot feasibility study seeks to explore patient-centered insight into perceptions of social isolation and loneliness in a homebound population. Eight participants were recruited from a home-based primary care practice within a family medicine residency program. One 30-minute semi-structured interview was completed in participants’ homes. The interview focused on loneliness and social isolation, using the 6-item De Jong Gerveld loneliness scale. Three qualitative analysts open-coded transcriptions …

Boomers And Fraudsters: A Closer Look At The Financial Elder Abuse Cycle In America, Ryan E. Brown

Marriott Student Review

In 2011, a landmark study was published by the Metlife Mature Market Institute claiming that nearly $3 billion disappears from the wallets and bank accounts of senior citizens annually. More surprising is that a similar study reported that figure could be as high as $36 billion. Because so many seniors let incidents of fraud or financial deceit go unreported, there is a huge discrepancy in annual reporting. This contributes to the overall lack of understanding we have of elder financial abuse, or why seniors continue to lose to fraudsters and scam artists. In a brief overview of financial elder abuse …

An Animal-Assisted Intervention Study In The Nursing Home: Lessons Learned, Lonneke G. J. A. Schuurmans, Inge Noback, Jos M. G. A. Schols, Marie-Jose Enders-Slegers

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

AAI studies in the nursing home pose a specific set of challenges. In this article the practical and ethical issues encountered during a Dutch psychogeriatric nursing home AAI study are addressed with the aim of sharing our experiences for future researchers as well as AAI practitioners in general.

In our study we compared three groups of clients with dementia who participated in group sessions of either visiting dog teams, visiting FurReal Friend robot animals, or visiting students (control group) and monitored the effect on social interaction and neuropsychiatric symptoms through video analysis and questionnaires. We encountered the following four categories …

House Calls Are Reaching The Tipping Point — Now We Need The Workforce, Thomas Cornwell

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Home-based primary care (HBPC) improves the lives of high-cost, frail, homebound patients and their caregivers while reducing costs by keeping patients at home and reducing the use of hospitals and nursing homes. Several forces are behind the resurgence of HBPC, including the rapidly aging population, advancements in portable medical technology, evidence showing the value of HBPC, and improved payments for HBPC. There are 2 million to 4 million patients who could benefit from HBPC, but only 12% are receiving it. The number of these patients is expected to double over the next two decades. This requires a larger and better …

A Sensory-Based Program To Enhance Occupational Performance For Dementia, Ivy Annahi Torres-Flores, Jacob Gantan, Heather Anne August, Naomi Grace Wong

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Dementia is a neurological disease, causing behavioral and cognitive symptoms, that progressively impairs an individual’s ability to engage in meaningful activities. Progressive deterioration associated with dementia impacts occupational performance and independence and quality of life. Sensory based interventions, such as drumming groups, have been hypothesized to be a non-pharmacological intervention for individuals with dementia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a sensory based intervention program, in this case participation in a drumming group, on functional engagement during self-feeding for individuals with dementia. Researchers gathered data over the course of two days using the Functional Behavior …

Internamente Solo: Escuchando Y Resistiendo La Soledad De Adultos Mayores En La Araucanía, Chile / Internally Alone: Hearing And Resisting The Loneliness Of Seniors In La Araucanía, Chile, Grace Ellrodt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research Question: Which current patterns drive or diminish loneliness among seniors of the Region of the Araucanía in the city of Temuco and surrounding rural communes?

Objectives: Understand and interpret the roots and the antidotes of the loneliness phenomenon experienced by seniors in Temuco and surrounding communes in the present moment.

Identify and analyze the drivers of pathological elder loneliness in structural, intermediary, and proximal factors.

Highlight the perspectives and narratives of seniors, community leaders, and health resources with respect to strategies to reduce the crisis.

Background: Currently, the population of seniors has risen and will continue to rise in …

Implementation Of An Evidence Based Screening Protocol To Improve The Diagnosis Of Dementia In A Home-Based Primary Care Setting, Lauren Liesbeth Sutton

Doctoral Projects

Dementia is a major public health concern that is both debilitating and deleterious to those afflicted with its various forms. The number of those living with dementia is increasing exponentially as the population continues to rise, with 46.8 million people worldwide currently afflicted with dementia (Chow et al., 2018). Dementia causes cognitive impairment that is severe enough to affect everyday function (Chow et al., 2018). The impairment and disability resulting from dementia indicates a significant health problem in primary care. Findings from research studies indicate that prophylactic and periodic screening for dementia can heighten provider suspicion and translate into earlier …

Is Technology The Key To Prevention Of Falls Among The Elderly In Rapidly Aging Societies? A Case Study Of Kunming, China, Phoebe Kiburi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the aging society rapidly becomes more dominant in the world, there is a pressing need for different stakeholders to tend to the needs of the aging sufficiently. This is crucial in ensuring the robustness of the healthcare system as a whole; given that it can only be as strong as its weakest link. This study focuses on one of the areas of need of the ageing society: fall prevention.

Numerous studies have been done on interventions by the government, private entities, elderly people and their caregivers to prevent occurrence and recurrence of falls. However, most of these have been …

Age-Tastic! An Evaluation Of An Evidence-Based Intervention For Older Adults, Manoj Pardasani, Jackie Berman, Mebane Powell

Publications and Research

Background: Raising awareness of holistic health and safety among older adults is critical to enhancing their wellbeing in many cases, improving health outcomes and motivating positive behavioral changes. Age-Tastic! is a comprehensive health and safety promotion intervention that uses the concept of a competitive board game to entice older adults to participate and stay engaged.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of Age-Tastic! on the level of awareness, health literacy, self-efficacy and positive behavioral change among the participants.

Methods: A randomized control trial was conducted with 98 older adults assigned to an experimental and control …

Older Adults' Health Care Utilization A Year After Experiencing Fear Or Distress From Hurricane Sandy, Laura P Sands, Yimeng Xie, Rachel Pruchno, Allison Heid, Yili Hong

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether self-reports of disaster-related psychological distress predict older adults' health care utilization during the year after Hurricane Sandy, which hit New Jersey on October 29, 2012.

METHODS: Respondents were from the ORANJ BOWL Study, a random-digit dialed sample from New Jersey recruited from 2006 to 2008. Medicare hospital, emergency department (ED) and outpatient claims data from 2012 and 2013 were matched to 1607 people age 65 and older in 2012 who responded to follow-up surveys conducted from July 2013 to July 2015 to determine their hurricane-related experiences.

RESULTS: In total, 7% (107) of respondents reported they experienced …

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: A Primer, Thomas M. Meuser

Social Work Faculty Publications

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment is an integrative approach to diagnosis, treatment and management of older adults that takes the whole person into account. While deficits may be a primary focus, strengths are also considered.

Life Review In Aging: A Primer, Thomas M. Meuser

Social Work Faculty Publications

Humans are narrative beings. We understand and speak of ourselves and the events of our lives in the context of stories. The stories we tell are influenced by our lived experiences, the quality of our memories (what’s recalled and forgotten), relationships, personality styles, values, accomplishments, regrets, spiritual beliefs, and a host of other factors. Telling our stories from the vantage point of old age is reflective of a maturational process of introspection and discovery called life review.

Influence Of Built Environment And Social Capital On Mental Health Of Residents Of Assisted Living Communities In Louisville, Ky., Sarah E. Walsh, A. Scott Lajoie

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Objectives: Prior research has shown social capital and built environment quality are associated with overall health status and the incidence of mental illness. This study explores the relationship between social capital, built environment, and quality of life specifically for assisted living residents, currently a gap in the literature. Method: A total of 76 assisted living residents were interviewed for the study using researcher-administered questionnaires. In addition, site audits were conducted to quantitatively evaluate the built environment surrounding 12 assisted living communities in the Louisville Metro region. Results: There was a moderate, positive correlation between social capital and mental health, r …

Agreement Between Clinician-Rated Versus Patient-Reported Outcomes In Huntington Disease, Noelle E Carlozzi, Nicholas R Boileau, Joel S Perlmutter, Kelvin L Chou, Julie C Stout, Jane S Paulsen, Michael K Mccormack, David Cella, Martha A Nance, Jin-Shei Lai, Praveen Dayalu

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Clinician-rated measures of functioning are often used as primary endpoints in clinical trials and other behavioral research in Huntington disease. As study costs for clinician-rated assessments are not always feasible, there is a question of whether patient self-report of commonly used clinician-rated measures may serve as acceptable alternatives in low risk behavioral trials.

AIM: The purpose of this paper was to determine the level of agreement between self-report and clinician-ratings of commonly used functional assessment measures in Huntington disease.

DESIGN: 486 participants with premanifest or manifest Huntington disease were examined. Total Functional Capacity, Functional Assessment, and Independence Scale assessments …

“Older Adults And Their Experiences With Home Care And Assisted Living”, Faith Robinson

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

As the state of Maine and the U.S. population at large continues to age, discussion about future care and living arrangements for older adults has become an increasingly relevant issue. Older adults are often faced with a range of options for housing, including staying in their home in their community while receiving home care services, or moving to an assisted living facility.

Currently a gap in the research exists as to the attitudes, perceptions, and lived experiences of the older adults themselves around these decisions, experiences, and the meaning of “home” in our older years. This study aims to provide …

Evaluation Of Group Movement Programs (Plié And Paired Plié) For People With Memory Loss, Alzheimer’S Disease Or Dementia, Martin Blanco, Deborah Barnes

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Today, one in ten people ages 65 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia. This serious condition often causes great suffering among affected individuals and their families, and there are no medications that stop or slow the disease. It is therefore important to evaluate alternative interventions that may benefit both patients and their care partners. Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIÉ) and Paired PLIÉ are group movement programs that combine neuroscience and integrative medicine for individuals with dementia. We analyzed data from [N=39] anonymous evaluation surveys performed as part of two ongoing randomized control trials. Survey data included general questions on …

Exploring The Use Of The Timed Up And Go Test To Identify Patient Fall Risk In An Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry Unit, Danielle Struble-Fitzsimmons

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Patient falls during hospitalization influence healthcare costs and quality, and hospitals are mandated to complete fall risk assessments on all patients. Inpatient geriatric psychiatry units have the highest fall rates in the acute care setting, and most falls in this population occur during the mobility tasks of transfers and ambulation. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test includes these two specific functional tasks, and has been used to predict falls in other geriatric populations, but has never been tested in an inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit. The purpose of this study was to determine if the TUG is a predictive …

Suicidal Ideation Assessment In Individuals With Premanifest And Manifest Huntington Disease., Melissa Wesson, Nicholas R Boileau, Joel S Perlmutter, Jane S Paulsen, Stacey K Barton, Michael K Mccormack, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Huntington disease (HD) is associated with increased risk of suicide.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares suicide ideation in HD to the general population, assesses factors associated with increased prevalence of suicidal thoughts, and compares clinician-rated to self-reported assessments of suicidal ideation.

METHODS: We examined 496 participants with premanifest or manifest HD. Clinician-rated suicidal ideation was measured using the Problem Behaviors Assessment - short form. Self-reported ideation was measured using two items from the HDQLIFE Concern with Death and Dying item bank. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare the prevalence of suicidal thoughts between our HD sample and the U.S. …

A Sensory-Based Program To Enhance Occupational Performance For Dementia, Naomi Grace Wong, Jacob Joseph Gantan, Ivy Annahi Torres-Flores, Heather Anne August

Student Research Posters

Dementia is a neurological disease, causing behavioral and cognitive symptoms, that progressively impairs an individual’s ability to engage in meaningful activities. Progressive deterioration associated with dementia impacts occupational performance and independence and quality of life. Sensory based interventions, such as drumming groups, have been hypothesized to be a non-pharmacological intervention for individuals with dementia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a sensory based intervention program, in this case participation in a drumming group, on functional engagement during self-feeding for individuals with dementia. Researchers gathered data over the course of two days using the Functional Behavior …

Point Prevalence And Patterns Of Mental Health Comorbidity Among People Accessing Australia's First Older Adult–Specific Alcohol And Other Drug Treatment Service, Stephen Bright, Katherine Walsh, Cylie Williams

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: There are good data regarding the prevalence and patterns of dual diagnosis among the general population; however, data regarding the older adult cohort are limited. We aimed to extend the knowledge of the point prevalence and patterns of dual diagnosis among older adults and the impact of dual diagnosis on the utilization of alcohol and other drug treatment services.

Method: A 12-month medical chart audit of clients discharged from an Australian older adult–specific alcohol and other drug treatment service was performed. Measures included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption, the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption, the Kessler 10, and …